Northstar Engines and System Technical Discussion Discussion, Trans Fluid Change Question in Cadillac Engine Technical Discussion; After I drop the pan and pull the drain plug, what is my fluid fill proceedure? Do I put 5 ...

Trans Fluid Change Question

After I drop the pan and pull the drain plug, what is my fluid fill proceedure? Do I put 5 quarts in and start it then add 6 more? Is the gasket reusable? Thanks guys. Great site!! By the way 98 Deville

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Originally Posted by 98 Caddy

After I drop the pan and pull the drain plug, what is my fluid fill proceedure? Do I put 5 quarts in and start it then add 6 more? Is the gasket reusable? Thanks guys. Great site!! By the way 98 Deville

Backflush the screens. They don't need to be changed. The gasket is reusable, just clean it off and also the sealing surface. Assuming you removed the hidden plug, once the pan is back and the bolts torqued in sequence, just dump in 11 quarts, check it, and add as necessary. You'll have to get it up to temperature to check it properly, and it will run and drive fine for long enough to heat it up. Check it hot after running through the gears and then add as necessary. Do NOT overfill it. If it's anything like mine, you'll need somewhere between 12 and 12.5 quarts of fresh Dexron-III fluid. They came with Texaco fluid from the factory if that makes any difference in your decision.

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Thanks for the response. Do you know what the torque value on the hidden drain plug is? So dump all 11 quarts in and then start. Wow that seems like a lot for the pan to hold without the pump pumping the fluid into the side cover.

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Originally Posted by 98 Caddy

Thanks for the response. Do you know what the torque value on the hidden drain plug is? So dump all 11 quarts in and then start. Wow that seems like a lot for the pan to hold without the pump pumping the fluid into the side cover.

I didn't get anywhere near that much out of mine when I did the pan and the side cover drain. It's been a while, but I think 2 gallons (8 quarts) was even too much when I refilled it. I'd try to eyeball what came out and use your best judgement when refilling. It's a pain to get it back out if you put too much in (unless you have a siphon pump around).

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Dumping it all in is the same as letting the car sit a few weeks, Not gonna hurt anything. As the trans seals wear it will let the fluid gradually leak down into the lower section when the car sits anyway.

I was gone 7 weeks and the car I left needed to run a minute to get the trans working. And it was a regular rear wheel drive. 4L60E Actually

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Oh boy, the memory is the second thing to go, you know. I think I put what the manual said in, then started it and found that I was overfull and had to suck out a half qt. or so. It definately to a case, give or take a qt.

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Originally Posted by Ranger

Oh boy, the memory is the second thing to go, you know. I think I put what the manual said in, then started it and found that I was overfull and had to suck out a half qt. or so. It definately to a case, give or take a qt.

First I was gonna ask what was the first thing to go, then I thought better of it... Please don't tell us.

Anyway, my point is only that it should be perfectly fine to put in 5 or 6 quarts, run it a short bit, then dump in some more. As far as I can tell, it didn't hurt anything when I dumped in 11 to start, but I certainly don't know everything and would definitely be open to some further insight. I'm almost due for a second trans. fluid change anyway, so it's good to brush up on these things.

For clarity's sake, it only takes 11-12 qts. if you remove the "hidden" drain plug for the side cover. If you don't remove that plug, it will take probably 7-8 qts. but I haven't done it that way yet.

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Originally Posted by mcowden

First I was gonna ask what was the first thing to go, then I thought better of it... Please don't tell us.

Anyway, my point is only that it should be perfectly fine to put in 5 or 6 quarts, run it a short bit, then dump in some more. As far as I can tell, it didn't hurt anything when I dumped in 11 to start, but I certainly don't know everything and would definitely be open to some further insight. I'm almost due for a second trans. fluid change anyway, so it's good to brush up on these things.

For clarity's sake, it only takes 11-12 qts. if you remove the "hidden" drain plug for the side cover. If you don't remove that plug, it will take probably 7-8 qts. but I haven't done it that way yet.

Let us know what you wind up doing and how it turns out for you.

To tell you the truth, I can't rememeber what the first thing to go is . I do remember however that contrary to what has been said, in my case I got the vast majority of the fluid out of the pan. Very little out of the side cover ("hidden") drain. I know that is not supposed to be the case and is not what others have reported but thats was my expirience.

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Ah shit, here we go again with the memory questions. As well as I can recall, it sat overnight and I did it in the morning. I cannot drive it up on ramps due to the "bumper" height so if memory serves me correctly , I jacked it up and put it on jack stands. Don't think I started it in the morning.

Re: Trans Fluid Change Question

Zonie77, the reason I ask is because in a Ford rear wheel drive tranny (4R70w) you can drain the pan and the torque convertor via a drain plug in the convertor. You get about 15 quarts out doing this. If you put in any more than 9 or 10 quarts and start the truck it will blow the fluid out the vent on the top of the tranny. Just didn't want something similare to happen when doing the fluid change on the Caddie. Thanks